When issue #3 of the Last Descendants: Locus comic book saga arrived in my inbox, I felt a tingle of excitement as I opened the pages with baited breath. This is a good sign that the Assassin’s Creed epic has got me hooked.
The Last Descendants: Locus is set in the Victorian timeline, and of course, as all Assassin’s Creed titles are, in the modern day as well. The last issue took us to the Victorian age, following our hero Tommy Greyling and his quest to find the strange alien artifact, a piece of Eden. His trail has now taken him to London itself, heading towards the British Museum. We left him and his team – Mark Twain, Evie Frye, Henry Green and Inspector Fredrick Abberline – on the end of a frantic ambush by the Templars and the enigmatic woman who has a lot of skills, wit and attitude. At the end of the issue Tommy ended up on the wrong end of her blade, causing his modern day ancestor to wake up shocked in the Animus.
Overall the second episode was a big improvement on the first, with some outstanding action sequences, an intriguing storyline, likeable new characters and hints at a larger narrative in the modern era. The artwork was dynamic and alive with some beautiful use of shading and composition. So how does the new
issue fare? Does it keep the ball in the air and the anticipation high?
The main focus of this issue is now on the modern age and the repercussions on Sean, the ancestor of Tommy Greyling. We see him recovering in hospital after the effects of being stabbed while in the Animus from last time out. His friends are given more screen time and more story, especially Nat, the feisty and inquisitive leader. Through her we learn of the anxieties about Sean pushing himself too far with his determination about going back into the Animus, even if it’s hurting his health. We are also given an insight and character development into the mysterious man pushing Sean further into his Animus sessions. There’s a nice sub plot emerging around Sean’s friends and colleagues with regards to their own fears and concerns around the animus and the mysterious man.
Back in Victorian England, we travel to the British Museum where we see the true force of the Templars and how deep their claws are involved with the mechanics of society. In the museum we see the enigmatic woman Templar who stabbed Tommy in the last issue searching for some ancient scrolls and then the team surprise her. It all finishes with a massive brawl and action sequence, resulting in a cliffhanging 
ending. The story in this third issue feels pacey, frenetic and intriguing, a real second act humdinger. The characters are settled now and the mystery of what may happen next is all pretty mouth watering.
The visual style still holds up well, actually improving on that which has come before it. Again in this issue there is a nice use of composition, shading and colour that really brings the story alive. London looks great and I’m really committed to the style and tone the issues present.
Overall the story is motoring along at a great pace. The characters are nicely familiar and it feels like that comfortable feeling you have at the end of the first act of a great movie. I’m really enjoying Locus, but what exactly is going to happen to keep me excited? Well, I seriously hope that the next few issues can optimize what they’ve started, following through on some of the most interesting narratives. If it does, Titan Comics will have one happy passenger.
